


minutiae

by leonathelion



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Anne squared, Beheaded Cousins, Catherine is good mum, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:22:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24617527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leonathelion/pseuds/leonathelion
Summary: minutiae(n.) the small, precise details that make one uniqueaka a seldom used word for every queen
Relationships: Anne Boleyn & Anne of Cleves, Anne of Cleves & Katherine Howard, Catherine Parr & Jane Seymour, Catherine of Aragon & Katherine Howard
Comments: 8
Kudos: 99





	minutiae

_parr- scripturient_

_(adj.) having a consuming passion to write_

Catherine Parr had been known for her writing. That was no secret, and it had been something she had found great comfort and solace in in her past life. Now, in the twenty-first century, writing was easier than ever. She had a laptop, where she never had to worry about losing any of her works, and starting over was as easy as deleting a document. No more vigilance over her parchment or constant need to replenish her ink and quills. 

Research was the simplest thing in the world once she got the hang of the internet. And with the demand for her writing, with people all over the world wanting to know first hand what it was like to not only be married to him, but what the 15th century was like? What societal norms were? Even things as simple as her diet was knowledge eagerly gobbled up by historians and history enthusiasts alike. 

Besides maybe Anna, Cathy was the only queen that actually enjoyed interviews with historians. She was allowed to ban certain topics from the conversation, such as her daughter and ex-husbands. She enjoyed the debates she had about feminism and the woman’s role in the courts. She liked surprising her interviews with information that wasn’t previously known. 

When Cathy was offered the opportunity to teach a lecture on LGBT+ and feminism, and at Cambridge no less, she said yes before her brain could really comprehend what she was asked. 

Catherine and Anna helped her pick out a smart pantsuit to wear, Catherine taming her goddaughter’s wild curls in a pouf on top of her head. Jane and Anne had hugged her, and Katherine pressed a kiss to her cheek for good luck.

Catherine was well-received when the professor introduced her to the students. The hall was massive, at least two hundred in the seats with a handful more crowding the aisles. 

By the time her nearly three hour lecture was over, she was parched and tired but could barely hold back a grin. Several students came up to her to talk some more, as did some more professors. 

When Cathy finally walked in the front door of the house, it was hours after her lecture ended and she was exhausted. Jane and Catherine were still up, waiting in the kitchen with a plate of dinner warming in the oven. Katherine was on Catherine’s lap, her gangly frame awkwardly curled up. Her head was on the elder queen’s shoulders, her eyes closed. 

“Thanks.” Cathay groaned, falling into a chair and accepted the plate Jane handed her. 

“How was it?” Catherine asked. 

“Fantastic. I didn’t think so many people would want to hear me speak, but they booked another lecture for next month for everyone that couldn’t make this one.” 

“That’s amazing, luv.” Jane offered a soft smile. 

“I hope you’re proud of yourself.” Cathy’s cheeks tinged pink and she looked at her half-eaten dinner. 

“I guess yeah.” 

“You should be, _carino_. You are an amazing writer and have lots to teach.” Catherine sipped her tea and smoothed a hand over Kat’s hair when the girl stirred. 

When Cathy began yawning, Catherine sent her up to bed. Before she could go, Kat’s hand shot out and snagged her shirt. With a fond smile, Cathy leaned down and kissed her cheek. Content, Kat snuggled back up to Catherine. Cathy chuckled. Affection leech.

With the help of her new professor friends, Cathy was able to convert her lecture into writing, and publish it within the university’s library. The six went out to celebrate, going to Anna and Anne’s favourite pub. 

“To Cathy!” They cheered, raising pints or wine glasses (Kat raised her can of sprite) and clinked before drinking. 

“So, how does it feel to be a published author?” Anna asked, draining her beer. 

“Again.” Kat added, tucked under Cathy’s arm. 

“Heh. Pretty good, I’m not going to lie.” 

“And I am sure it will be the first of many more.” Catherine kissed the side of her goddaughter’s head and ordered another drink. 

* * *

_seymour- hiraeth_

_(n.) a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past_

Jane struggled with the twenty-first century. 

Back in her time, she was the perfect wife and queen. Her strengths laid in domestic duties expected of someone of her stature. Henry generally told her what to do in court, she spent her days being doted on by her ladies in waiting, and she had hobbies that were suitable for the time period. Granted, embroidery and sewing were still perfectly acceptable, but as the other queens branched out from their comfort zones, even little Kat, Jane felt more and more left behind. 

Gardening was sometime she liked, being outside was a comfort, even if she could hear the traffic of cars and the bustle of living near the city. She rarely found herself alone, Catherine enjoyed reading in the sunshine, and Kat was always eager to help. Occasionally, the Annes would join them, horsing around in the grass or in the warmer months, sitting in the blow up children’s pool they’d bought on a whim. When Cathy could be convinced to leave her study, she and Jane would discuss the best plants and how to care for them. 

But Jane didn’t like leaving the house. The city scared her, even going to their local coffee shop or grocery store was daunting. Thankfully her friends were patient, for the most part. 

Catherine occasionally forced her out, making the blonde accompany her to the bookstore or hobby shop. There, Jane could get more fabric or embroidery thread, and Catherine could browse the bookstore next door. 

Things in the current century confused Jane. Clothing, for one. Anne and Anna lazed around the house and went out in public in shorts and tops that revealed their midriffs and legs. Cathy often forwent a bra when she was around the house. When they visited the beach, Jane had thought some of the girls to be nearly naked. Bright makeup and nails were common, hair could be messy and be perfectly acceptable. 

So Jane stayed in the house, acting as the stereotypical housewife. She cleaned. She helped make dinner. She did laundry. She gardened. Her free time was spent sewing or working on her embroidery. And eventually, Cathy and Catherine got sick of it. 

“We’re going out.” Cathy said, handing Jane her coat and nudging a pair of shoes towards her with her foot.

“Where?” Jane asked.

“Out. There’s a volunteer fair at the library. You need to find something to do besides housework.” 

Jane feebly protested, but allowed Cathy to pull her out of the house and into the car. 

In the library, Cathy quietly read outloud the different signs posted at all the booths. 

“Teaching kids how to read, helping in the city greenhouse, babysitting.” Cathy listed.

“Library assistant, geriatic home assistant?”

“What’s that?” Cathy hummed as she read over the information.

“You go to old age homes, and interact with the residents. Talk to them, read to them, stuff like that.”

“Most of our residents are lonely, and simply want someone to talk to. Unfortunately we’re always short-staffed, so our nurses don’t always have the time.” The girl sitting behind the booth piped up.

“Do you need any, er, skills or anything?” Jane asked timidly, thinking of her rather poor literacy. The girl shook her head.

“Nope.” She popped the ‘p’.

“It helps to naturally be calm, and patient. Some of our residents can tell the same story six times in a row without realizing it. And some can get distressed.” Cathy looked at Jane.

“I think you should do it. You like listening, this gives you an excuse to sit out and knit.” Jane chuckled.

“You don’t have to commit to like, a year of volunteering or anything. Pick a day, come hang out for a couple hours and bring your knitting. If you hate it, then don’t come.” Jane nodded at the girl’s suggestion and carefully wrote her name on the Tuesday at ten o’clock slot. The girl beamed.

“This is great! I’ll see you then!” 

Jane was clearly nervous, but the morning of her volunteering day she walked to the home, accompanied by Cathy. The writer would be spending her morning at the bookstore a block away. Jane had packed her newest knitting project, a soft pink blanket for Katherine, and two dozen cookies she and Cathy had made. 

“Good luck.” Cathy told her.

“I’m proud of you. I know it’s not easy leaving the house.” Jane accepted her hug and entered the home.

The same girl from the fair was in the front hall, behind a desk. She looked up and grinned when Jane entered.

“Yay, you’re here!” Jane offered a shy smile.

“I promised I would.” The girl bobbed her head.

“I don’t think I introduced myself. I’m Grace, and I’m in charge of the volunteers. Let’s get you signed in, and I’ll take you to the common room.”

“This hall is the bedrooms, then the staff quarters, the kitchens, and right here is the common room.” Grace pushed open the door and waved Jane in. 

“Good morning Claire!” Grace greeted an older woman, seated in a large armchair and gazing out the window.

“Good morning Grace.” Claire sighed back.

“Claire, this is Jane. She’s one of our new volunteers.” Grace offered Jane a small, slightly forced smile.

“Jane’s brought some knitting. Can she sit with you?” Claire only shrugged and went back to looking out the window. 

Grace gave Jane an encouraging smile and gestured to the armchair across from Claire. Hesitantly, Jane sat and pulled her needles, bundle of yarn, and the partially finished blanket out of her bag. 

Jane had been knitting for about ten minutes, focused on the new pattern she had found from pin-t-rest. Cathy had shown her the website, and although she still didn’t quite understand how it worked, there were lots of knitting and sewing ideas that Jane wanted to try. 

Claire was watching her, Jane realized. The blonde looked up and offered a shy smile.

“What are you making?” Claire asked.

“A blanket.” Jane pulled the rest of the finished product out of her bag. Different shades of pink blended into an edelweiss pattern.

“For my friend’s daughter.” The lie about Catherine and Katherine came easily.

“Is she expecting?” Jane shook her head.

“No, Kitty just likes blankets.” Claire chuckled.

“Kitty?”

“Mhm. I live with three Catherines, it gets confusing. And she sometimes acts like a cat, needings cuddles one moment off somewhere only the lord knows next.” Jane could easily see the melancholy in Claire’s expression. 

Suddenly, the older woman fixed Jane with a look, her head tilted slightly.

“You’re one of those women from the news.” She murmured.

“The old queens.” Jane swallowed hard and nodded.

“What are you doing here then?” Jane looked down at her knitting needles.

“I am finding it hard to adjust to this century. I needed an excuse to get out of the house everyday, and this seemed safe.” Claire nodded in understanding.

“Then surely you wouldn’t mind humoring an old lady with tales from your time?” Jane cracked a smile, a real smile, and thought about what she wanted to say. 

Jane returned to the house a few hours after she’d told Cathy when she would be home. The fifth and sixth queens were busy in the kitchen, and by the smell of it they were making spaghetti for dinner. 

‘Hi Jane.” Kitty offered a little smile, which warmed Jane’s heart. It was nice to know that Kitty was getting more comfortable around everyone.

“Hi sweetheart. Do you and Cathy need any help?” Kitty shook her head.

“Nope, we’re good. You can keep us company though!”  
  


Cathy set down a glass of wine in front of Jane, who had taken a seat at the breakfast bar.

“How was it?” She asked.

“It actually went very well. I’ve made some new friends, and I signed up to come back on the weekend.” Cathy grinned.

“That’s fantastic Jane. I’m really proud of you.” Jane blushed and tried to hide it behind her glass. Cathy chuckled and squeezed her shoulder before getting up to finish cooking.

Jane became a recurring fixture at the home. Claire introduced her to her friends, and eventually her family. Talking about the past was unsettling and distressing for the other queens, but Claire and the others enjoyed listening to Jane talk about her previous life. It was a good outlet, it let Jane relieve the better parts of her old life. 

* * *

_cleves- eleutheromania_

_(n.) a great desire for or obsession with freedom_

Anna was happier now than she had ever been. Sure, her life before hadn’t been terrible, save for the few months she had been married and her best friend’s untimely and unjust death. But Anna had spent most of her days partying, hunting, and socializing, her three favourite things to do. She hated being locked down with a husband and queenly duties. So here, outside of London, with her only obligations to help out around the house, with Kitty, and the occasional interview, Anna finally felt free. 

With Anna comfortable leaving Kitty with Catherine, it wasn’t unusual for the German queen to be out all hours of the day and not return for long stretches of time. Often Anne was with her, and once in a while they convinced Cathy or Kit to join them.

It was easier for Anna to fall into her former habit of drinking and smoking. She told herself it was different now, that she learned the hard way what her limits were, and she wouldn’t get herself in any stupid situation. She valued her freedom way too much. 

Catherine was waiting in the entrance of the house, her arms crossed and tired creases across her forehead as she waited for the final two members to come home. It was nearing four in the morning, and they were supposed to return three hours ago.

Anne and Anna were clearly holding each other up, stumbling past the threshold.

Catherine didn’t bother asking where they were or what they had been going, she simply guided both to Anna’s bedroom, on the ground floor. There was no way she was going to try and get Anne up to the attic. 

Catherine took off their shoes, gave their faces a half-hearted wipe with a makeup wipe, and shoved them on the bed. She had already placed two buckets and bottles of water on either side of the bed. She shut the door with a sigh.

“ _Heilige Scheiße, mein Kopf_.” Anna moaned when she woke. Everything hurt, the light streaming through the curtains irritated her already throbbing head, and she had to swallow hard to avoid vomiting. Also, sleeping in the leather pants and crop top she had worn to the bar meant she was now incredibly uncomfortable. 

Beside her, Anne woke with a groan, which turned into a cry when she promptly puked.

“Nice.” Anna groaned, thankful Anne had the foresight to grab the bucket. 

They changed into sweats, Anne dragging herself out into the back garden to wash the bucket out with the hose. She was noticeably paler when she walked back in, hugging the bucket to her chest. 

“Please say there’s still breakfast leftover.” Anna pleaded, collapsing in a kitchen chair.

“Nope.” Jane popped the ‘p’. 

“It’s nearly three-thirty, breakfast ended several hours ago.” Startled, Anna looked at the tiny clock display on the oven. It was indeed, 3:26.

“There’s cereal, and things for sandwiches.” Jane left the kitchen.

“Where’re you goin’?” Anne asked from where she was stretched out on the couch nearly three hours into watching Star Wars reruns.

“We’re going out for dinner. We made reservations this morning.” Cathy answered, pulling her boots on. Anne groaned, dramatically throwing an arm over her eyes.

“I don’t ever wanna move again.” “You were not invited.” Catherine said bluntly.

“The reservation is for four.” And with that, she left.

Anne watched Anna slip on a pair of heels, hook her purse around her shoulder and open the door.

“Where’re you goin’?” Anne asked for the second time. Anna paused.

“Just out. I’ll be back later.” Anne narrowed her eyes, but before she could say anything else, Anna was gone. 

“Where’s Anna?” Having returned home from dinner, Kat poked her head in Anne’s room and asked the whereabouts of her best friend.

“Out. I dunno where.” Anne watched Kat’s brow crease before her cousin left. 

Growling, Catherine passed Kat off to Jane and yanked her shoes on. Cathy quietly followed suit.

“Where are you going?” Anne was starting to feel like a broken record.

“Out to drag Anna home. This is the fifth night she’s gone out drinking. It is getting ridiculous.” Shutting the door with more force than necessary, the two Catherines left. 

“What the hell?” Anna cried as she was unceremoniously yanked off her barstool and dragged out of the bar. 

Outside, Catherine let go of the back of Anna’s shirt.

“Aragon, what the hell?” Anna said again.

“We’re going home. You are coming with us.” Anna rolled her eyes and turned around, only to smack into Cathy. The smaller queen gripped Anne’s arm and steered her down the street. 

Jane, Anne, and Kat were waiting in the living room, the latter two nodding off and curled up on the loveseat. 

“Sit.” Catherine pointed to the armchair. Anna sat. 

“This is a family intervention. You have come home completely plastered every night for the past five nights, to the point where I am actually very surprised you made it home.” Catherine crossed her arms and stared down the fourth queen.

“So? I’m just having fun.”

“No Anna. Having fun is going out maybe twice a week and getting tipsy. Not getting blackout drunk everyday that ends with a ‘y’.” Cathay spoke up.

“We’re only worried.” Jane offered. Anna caught herself before she could roll her eyes again.

“I know what I’m doing. I did this all the time in my past life.”

“And that’s how you died.” Kat peeped out. The five women turned to look at her, and Kat turtled slightly into her blanket, her cheeks pink.

“You got sick, and you died from lung cancer. It can happen again, the doctor said you’d get sick more easily.” 

Catherine sighed and ran a hand through her curls.

“We love you Anna, and you’re worrying us. So that’s why you’re on house arrest. I’ve taken your keys, your debit and credit cards, your id, and your tube pass. You can have them back in a few days.” Anna barked out a laugh.

“Aragon, seriously? I’m a grown woman.” “Who doesn’t know her limits.” Catherine fixed her with a look.

“You can kill yourself, alcohol poisoning, getting so drunk you could be taken advantage of-” She didn’t miss Kat’s flinch.

“Or worse. So you can have a few days to think and see if you can figure out why you binge-drink. Find a hobby or something that does not involve the bottle.” And with that, Catherine turned on her heel and headed upstairs. Kat slipped after her, her pink blanket wrapped around her like a cloak. 

One by one, the other’s left, leaving Anna in the dimmed living room. She grew angrier and angrier, eventually stalking across the room and punching the couch. Her wrist stung, but she relished in the feeling. At least she had control over that. 

Anna spent the next two days in her room, sometimes laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling, sometimes flipping through her phone, but mostly mashing buttons on the old xbox while playing Call of Duty. Kat didn’t come near her, which hurt. Normally they either spent the morning or afternoon together, and watched a movie in the evening. Even Anne didn’t bother her, odd for the restless ‘gremlin’, as Cathy liked to call her. 

On the third day, Anna finally left the house. She walked the three blocks down to the small gym, where she had signed up for boxing lessons the night prior. Catherine was right, she did need hobbies. At least this way she would up her badassery levels. 

It was the fifth night of Anna’s house arrest. Anna and Kat were the only ones still sitting at the kitchen table, both with bowls of strawberry ice cream in front of them. They were giggling over a video on Kat’s phone. 

Wordlessly, Catherine placed the bundle of confiscated items on the table.

“I get them back?” Anna asked, reaching for the pile. Catherine nodded, stealing Kat’s spoon to nab a bite of her dessert. She ignored Kat’s indignant _hey_! 

“You have not tried to steal them back, and you’ve proven you’re perfectly capable of keeping other hobbies besides giving yourself liver cancer. I only hope you keep it up.” With a kiss to Kat’s head, Catherine left. 

Kat swirled her melting ice cream around in her blue bowl. She liked the contrast of colours. 

“I’m proud of you.” She admitted in a tiny voice.

“I know it was probably hard, ‘cause you have old habits and stuff.” Anna exhaled.

“Yeah. I guess. It’s just...partying and shit was something I only got to do once I was free from _him_. I guess it’s like, comforting?” She looked over to her oldest friend.

“But boxing is getting me _ripped_ , look!” Kat could help but laugh as Anna yanked her sleeve up and flexed. She only laughed harder when Anna grabbed her hand and made her feel her muscles.

“You’re weird!”

“No, you’re weird!” Anna scooped Kat up and rushed to the living room, dropping her on the couch.

“Dog pile on the Kitty-Kat!” Anne yelled, rushing into the living room and jumping on her cousin. Kat’s squeals could be heard all over the house. 

  
  


* * *

  
_boleyn- rame_

_(n.) something that is both chaotic and joyful at the same time_

Anne enjoyed messing with her fellow queens. Not out of malice, but when Catherine started screeching about the salt and sugar being mixed together, or when Anna’s chocolate skin would flush a deep red with anger after Anne hid all her left shoes, it brought the second queen joy. 

So when she found out the first day of the fourth month was actually dedicated to pulling pranks, Anne was elated.

She started planning a week in advance. 

The day of, Anne didn’t get up early. That would have thrown the others off. Nope, Anne rolled out of bed around noon, padding down to the kitchen and swiping the remainder of the bacon and pancakes Kitty and Anna had made. The shout of _Anne Boleyn!_ made her grin. 

“Why did I wake up to find my room filled with balloons?” Anna asked. Anne shrugged and stuffed a whole piece of bacon in her mouth.

“I dunno.” She managed. “And why was all the cereal replaced with mini rubber ducks and lego?” Cathy added. Barely, Anne stopped herself from giggling.

“I dunno.” 

The first angry screech of the day belonged to none other than the queen of the household herself, one Catherine of Aragon. Anne had wrapped her toilet seat in clear cling wrap. However, she couldn’t possibly blame Anne for it, the second queen had just gotten up!

Kitty squeaked in surprise when she walked across her bedroom rug and it popped underneath her feet. Peeking under the pink shag, she found a length of bubble wrap. She shrugged and pulled it out. Jokes on whoever put it there, now she had something to play with. 

Jane had squealed when she turned on the lamp beside her armchair and saw the outline of a massive (paper) bug in the lampshade. Cathy groaned when she came home after coffee with Catherine to find everything in her study wrapped in tinfoil. The pieces of duct tape over the sensors prevented Kitty from watching tv. Anna mentioned that she repeatedly had other cars honking at her on the drive to the gym and back. Anne had placed a Please Honk sign in the rear window. 

Anne had switched out the salt for sugar, placed fake bugs everywhere possible, and filled the last of the oreos with toothpaste. 

Anne squealed and ducked out of the way of the oreo Anna chucked at her hair. “I was looking forward to eating these!” The German queen yelled. Anne only cackled and hid behind her cousin. 

Dinnertime wasn’t spared. When Cathy opened the cabinet, a confetti explosion went off in her face. The butter in the dish was frozen solid. There were fake bugs in the salad bowl. And whoopee cushions on everyone’s chair. 

Kitty refused to touch the bubblegum ice cream Jane and Catalina had bought earlier, too afraid something would go off in her face or she would find fake bugs in her dessert. Anna and Cathy decided to take her out to the nearby ice cream parlor. Anne tagged along, much to the other three’s displeasure. They had wanted a break from the prankster. 

Anne whistled as she jumped up the stairs to her attic bedroom, she had gotten ice cream (that Cathy paid for), watched her favourite movie (Star Wars) with Kitty, and had a very successful first April Fool’s Day. _The first of many._ She thought to herself. 

Her closet door wouldn’t open. She shrugged, thinking it to be the hinges getting stuck. Wouldn’t be the first time. She left her dirty clothes on the floor. 

All of her clothing was gone. Her dresser was completely empty. 

“Hey!” She screamed. Kitty opened the door at the bottom of the short staircase and snickered at the sight of her irate cousin.

“What’s wrong?”

“Where are my clothes!” Kitty snorted as she tried to reign in her giggles.

“I dunno. Where are your clothes?”

“Ugh!” Anne turned on her heel. 

“Here, you can borrow this!” Kitty called, and there was a soft thump of fabric hitting the stairs. She closed the door. 

‘This’ turned out to be Kitty’s hot pink, sparkly unicorn onesie, complete with a tail and mittens.

“No, no, no!” Anne shook her head in horror.

“Wear it or go naked!” Cathy called through the vents. 

Catherine, Cathy, and Kitty were waiting at Anne’s door to snap pictures of the second queen when she came down to brush her teeth.

“Why don’t you look adorable?” Catherine commented, earning a glare as Anne pushed past the three and locked herself in the bathroom. 

There was more angered yelling, presumably when Anne found her toothpaste had been glued to the bottom of the drawer, food dye had been put between the bristles of her toothbrush and turned her teeth green, there was a piece of fake poop on the ground near the toilet (that Anne stepped on), and her bar of soap wouldn’t froth, due to the layer of clear nail polish all over it. 

“I hope you had a good April Fool’s Day.” Cathy remarked, her voice mild. Anne glared at her before storming up to her bedroom. She screamed. They had taken her sheets. 

* * *

  
_howard- hobbledehoy_

_(n.) an awkward teenager; one who is perpetually ungainly and uncertain._

It was fair to say that Katherine Howard had issues. Many of her issues stemmed from the near-constant abuse she suffered throughout her childhood and teen years. Some of it came from being reborn into the twenty-first century. And some of it came from the constant feeling of being too awkward and unwieldy in her body. 

Like Catherine and Anna, her new body was different from her old one. Jane, Anne, and Cathy had stayed relatively the same. Catherine was taller, curvier. Anna was also a bit taller, and her skin darker. Kat had always been thin, and her recent growth spurt left her a few inches taller. Her hair was much darker from her old auburn colored locks. She felt both gangly and too small. 

She knew she was clingy. She knew she needed constant reassurance, and the terrifying thought of being a burden on the others hung over her head like a permanent cloud. 

The first time Catherine made Kat leave the house without the safety of all six queens, Kat never strayed more than a foot from her side. Not that Catherine terribly minded, and she knew this would happen when she dragged Katherine out of the house this morning. 

“ _Mija_ , do you want to pick out a treat while we’re here?” Catherine asked, gesturing to the wall of sweets in the small pharmacy. Kat nodded and picked out a small bag of gummies bear, grabbing the dark chocolate bar she knew Catherine liked. The elder Catherine hummed, a small smile gracing her features when Kat placed her picks in the basket. 

Catherine scanned the shampoo selection, looking for the brand Anna needed. Kat had one hand on her sleeve, but was facing the opposite direction. Something had caught her attention.

Hair dye. Catherine was familiar with the concept, after several weeks of trashy tv watching she now had a pretty good idea of what fashion and style was popular. And some of the colours available were bright, electric greens and reds. 

“What colour were you thinking?” Kat jumped when Catherine’s voice came from right above her head.

“I dunno!” She squeaked.

“Just looked interesting.” Catherine lifted one brow and chose a box off the shelf. A bright pink. This, she knew, was Kat’s favourite colour.

“This would look pretty on the ends of your hair.” She mused. Kat looked startled.

“I can’t dye my hair!” "Why not?” Kat just looked wide-eyed. Catherine chuckled and tossed the box in her basket.

“I think you should think about it.”

Kat did think about it, and her decision was made when her cousin found the box under the sink in the bathroom the two and Anna shared. 

“Hey!” She yelled.

“Whose hair dye is this?” “Kitty’s!” Catherine answered.

“Cool! Kitty, come here! I wanna dye your hair!” And before she knew it, Kat found herself seated on the edge of the tub with her cousin applying the bright pink dye after bleaching the ends of her hair. After, of course, declaring the gloves included in the package were for ‘pussies’.

“It looks like a piece of bubblegum puked on your hair. I love it!” Anne admired her handiwork. Her pride however, turned into panic when she realized her hands were now stained bright pink and no amount of scrubbing in the sink would fade the colour. 

“Guess you’re one of those pussies who needs gloves.” Anna, plaiting Kat’s washed and dried hair back into two dutch braids, quipped. Anne turned on her friend, murder in her eyes. 

Catherine had been downtairs, enjoying afternoon tea and the sounds of the Anne’s attempting to murder one another. Kat crept into her view, her cheeks as pink as her freshly dyed hair. 

“I knew that would look cute on you.” She commented. Kat only nodded and whispered a thanks.

“Do you like it?” Kat pulled one of her braids into view and examined it. She nodded again. Catherine chuckled when Kat pointed to the spot next to her and lifted her arm up. Kat sighed as she snuggled closer. 

“I can see why Anna and the others call you Kitty.” Catalina mused. “You make little kitten noises, and you act like a cat.” 

-

It wasn’t often that Kat accompanied Anna and Anne out on their excursions. Normally the two would be bar-hopping, or finding something not entirely illegal to do for fun. But this friday afternoon, Anna decided she and Anne should take Kat shopping. 

“All you wear is leggings and hoodies. You need something cute!” Anna explained her reasoning, and reluctantly, Kat agreed to tag along. 

One terrifying car ride later (how Anne had gotten her licence was a mystery), Anna hooked an arm through Kat’s and steered her into the nearest clothing store she liked. 

“I can’t wear this!” Kat half-whispered, half-shouted. She held up a blue dress Anne had plucked off the rack.

“Why not? You’d look good in it.” “Anne, it’s so short! And I have ugly legs!” Anne rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic. Go try it on!”

Apprehensive, Kat did as was told. Anna and Anne waited outside the dressing room stall, and when the younger girl took too long for her liking, Anne rapped on the door.

“Let’s gooo! We’re not getting any older out here!” The lock unclicked, and Kat slowly swung it open. She kept one hand over her chest, covering the v-neck of the dress. Her hair was draped around her neck, partially hiding her scar, and her other hand was trying to tug down the skirt of the dress. 

“Move your hand.” Biting the inside of her cheek, Kat did as was she told. 

“Oh.” And suddenly both Annes understood their friend’s apprehension. Kat had scars over her chest, notably on the visible parts of her breasts. Similar, her exposed thighs showed more marks.

“Can I put my clothes back on?” Kat asked in a high pitched, shaky voice. Anna nodded. Kat was quick to turn around and lock the door.

Only Anna was waiting when Kat reemerged, in her leggings and hoodie. Anne was somewhere in the store. Kat took Anna’s offered hand, warbling out a small _sorry_.

“Not your fault, liebling.” Anna wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “We just didn’t think.”

The two hadn’t taken more than six steps away from the dressing room when Anne reappeared and dragged Kitty back to her stall, with an armful of clothes.

The two cousins locked in the small stall, Anne dumped her armload on the bench and began pulling things out of it. 

“Here.” She shoved a handful of lace and a linen into Kit’s arms. “These should work better.” 

‘These’ turned out to be a modest, but lacy bralette and a dark pink jumpsuit. The lace covered more of Kitty’s chest than a regular bra, but the decorative material made it cute. The jumpsuit was form-fitting but allowed the girl to move, and the thin fabric would be perfect for the upcoming summer months.

“M’sorry Kitty. I didn’t get why you refused to wear anything else, and I do now. But you’re gonna roast in the heat wearing long sleeves and leggings.” Anne explained, her cheeks pink. “It’s okay.” Kat turned left and right, examining herself in the full-lenth mirror.

“You didn’t know.” “Still.” Anne scratched her cheek. “I just wanted you to, I dunno, feel good about yourself?” Kat quirked a little smile. “And I’m working on it.” 

Catherine’s eyes were wide, watching Anne, Anna, and Kat haul in an alarming amount of bags and boxes through the front door. “I thought you were only going to get a few things.” She remarked, stepping out of Anna’s way. “We were. Then we found things that Kitty liked.” Anne’s voice was muffled by the bag of donuts she held between her teeth. Catherine only sighed and left the room. 

* * *

  
_aragon- zemblanity_

_(n.) the inevitable discovery of what we would rather not know; the opposite of serendipity_

Catherine had told herself she didn’t want to know what had happened after she left. It was clear she had been easily replaced, and she knew her daughter gained half-siblings, but truthfully, she felt as though she would be better off not knowing what had happened to Mary. 

But the lack of knowing nagged at her, and against her better judgement, she pulled out her laptop and typed Mary Tudor.

_Bloody Mary. Known for her commitment to returning England to Rome and Catholicim. Close to three hundred people were burned at the stake for their beliefs._

Catherine chose to not join the others for dinner that night, locking herself in her room and fervently trying to find something contrary to what she had learned. 

It was close to eight thirty that night when there was a soft knock at her door. Heaving a sigh, Catherine got up from her vanity, where she was using it as a desk, and unlocked her door. 

Katherine was carefully balancing a teacup and a plate, her blanket over her arm. On the plate was a sandwich, and two cookies. 

“You didn’t come down for dinner.” Katherine explained. “I didn’t want you to go to bed hungry.” Normally Catherine’s heart would warm at the girl’s compassion, but not right now.

“Tell me about Mary.” Kat blinked.

“What do you wanna know?” “I assume you knew her.” Catherine sat back down at her vanity and took a bite of her sandwich.

“Yeah, we saw each other a few times.” Kat chose her words carefully. It was clear that Catherine wasn’t feeling great, her voice sounded odd. 

“But she was a princess, and had her own duties and stuff.” Kat wrapped her pink blanket around her shoulders, it smelled like the cookies she and Jane had made earlier. “Katherine.” Catherine set her plate.

“We didn’t really get along.” Kat rushed out. “Anna’n Cathy probably knew her better, even Jane or Anne.” “Kat-” Kat turned on her heel and fled. 

Catherine didn’t bother going after her, knowing the girl was clearly frightened and shut down when she entered that state. Instead, she opened a new tab and typed in _Katherine Howard Mary Tudor._

She clicked on the first link, _Tragic Facts About Catherine Howard._

_Catherine Howard was the youngest of Henry’s queens. She was not well-educated, but well-spoken and lively. She loved all animals, especially dogs. She was generous with gifts to the previous queen. She doted on her stepdaughter Elizabeth. Mary Tudor did not approve of the relationship. Mary Tudor was hostile to her stepmother, younger than her by nine years. In retaliation, Catherine publicly humiliated her by removing two of her maids. It was not until King Henry married his sixth and final wife was Mary able to reconcile with her siblings, with Catherine Parr’s help._

_Mary found Catherine to be an insult, not only to what it meant to be a queen, but also to the memory of her mother, the ‘true’ queen._

Desperate to know if her research was correct, Catherine sought out the source. 

Katherine was asleep, or was very good at pretending to be. She was in the attic, curled up in her cousin’s arms, some animated movie playing on Anne’s laptop. Catherine exhaled slowly, a warm feeling spreading through her when Kat made a snuffling noise and nuzzled her face into Anne’s shoulder.

“Pathetic.” Anne sighed, but affectionately pressed a kiss to Kitty’s head and tucked her in tighter. 

Despite herself, Catherine stayed up late, reading. She read about her Mary, about Elizabeth and Edward and Mae. She read about the supposed relationships the children had with all of the wives. And she read some more on her charge, one Katherine Howard. 

It was disgusting how easily historians tossed around words like whore and vixen when discussing her ‘relationships’. They painted Katherine as a fifteen year old seductress, purposely enticing Henry in order to boost her family and friends up in the world. She was apparently as good as married to Frances Dereham, and hid it from Henry. She was a constant flirt, and an airhead. 

Catherine couldn’t see her Kat as the girl she read about. She knew that all six had some differences when they were reincarnated, but the Katherine on the internet was a whole other person from her Kat. 

-

Katherine was avoiding her. She had spent all day out with Anna and Anne, and chose to eat dinner in the back garden with Cathy. And now, she was in the bathroom she shared with the Anne’s, her cousin reapplying hair dye to her fading ends. 

“I’m surprised Kitty isn’t hanging off of you.” Cathy mentioned. “Normally she’s your shadow after dinner.” Catherine only hummed, trying to focus on her devotional. 

It wasn’t hard to hear the tossing and turning coming from the room next door. Kat did share a wall with Catherine, after all. 

Making up her mind, the teenager slipped out of bed, wrapped her blanket around her shoulder, and grabbed Princess Sparkle Bling Bling, the pink teddy Anna had gotten her. 

When Catherine didn’t answer her knocking, Kat let herself in. Catherine was hunched on her bed, shaking. 

“Catherine?” Catherine’s head shot up, her eyes wide. There were tears streaming down her cheeks. “Kat?” Kat nodded, moving closer. She climbed on the bed. 

Kat yelped when she was grabbed in a tight hug, Catherine burying her face in the girl’s shoulder. 

Kat wrapped her blanket around the two of them, Princess Sparkle Bling Bling on her lap. She stayed quiet as Catherine tried to reign in her soft sobs. 

“I’m sorry.” Catherine drew back and wiped at her eyes. Kat shook her head and offered Princess Sparkle. Catherine took the bear with a chuckle, hugging it to her chest.

“What’s wrong?” Catherine sighed at Kat’s innocent question.

“I researched Mary today. My Mary.” She rubbed her eyes. “I never thought my girl would be capable of such horrible things.” Katherine looked down, rubbing the edge of her blanket between her fingers.

“I wasn’t very nice either.” She admitted in a tiny voice. “I was kinda mean to her.”

“It sounded like she wasn’t very nice to you either.” Kat shrugged. “Yeah. But I was technically her step-mother, and I was like, nine years younger than her. That’s awkward.” That brought the tiniest of chuckles out of Catherine.

“I guess it would be.” “And besides, I don’t think all of Mary’s choices were her own. _Non autre volonte que la sienna._ ” Catherine’s brow creased. “That was my queenly motto. No other will but his.” She smiled sadly. “No one really had a choice.” 

With a watery smile, Catherine pulled Kat into a proper hug after kissing her forehead. “What would I do without you, _mija_?” Kat grinned cheekily. “I dunno. What would you do?” “I think I would actually be quite sad.” Kat nuzzled further into Catherine’s embrace. “Good. I would be sad without you, too.” 

  
  
  
  



End file.
